Rialto High product Denae Williams transfers to Cal Poly Pomona

Just last week, the former Rialto High School basketball star was given release from her scholarship at the University of San Francisco, citing a desire to be closer to home.

On Monday, she signed a new scholarship with Cal Poly Pomona.

“They have a great program and they do a great job with development with players,” Williams said.

Since she is transferring from a Division I to a Division II school, Williams will be eligible to play immediately. She will have two years of eligibility remaining.

“That (being eligible immediately) wasn’t really a factor,” she said. “I just wanted to go to the best place.”

Michael Anderson, Williams’ former coach at Rialto, said they had visited Cal State L.A. and Cal Poly and were headed to Arizona to talk to other schools when Williams stopped him and told him she already knew where she wanted to go.

The 6-foot-1 Williams tore her ACL near the end of her freshman year, then had her minutes limited as a sophomore as she recovered from the injury. She averaged 8.8 minutes, 3.4 points and 1.9 rebounds per game last year for the Dons, when she said she was about “70 percent” recovered.

She expects to be 100 percent by the time next season rolls around.

“I expect to win a lot and put in a lot of hard work,” she said. “I want to help the team in any way I can.”

Tourney title

Kaiser baseball coach Mike Spinuzzi had his eye on the playoffs when he came up with the Cats’ 2014 schedule.

Part of that schedule comes to fruition on Saturday when Kaiser plays at Riverside Arlington (12-7) in the championship game of the Centennial Tournament. Game time is 11 a.m.

“I’m looking for it to be a game, where we need to play a good ballgame to win,” Spinuzzi said. “All of coach (Gary) Rungo’s teams are well-coached. They can bunt, hit.

“We’re trying to prepare for the playoffs and get better towards the end of the year.”

Spinuzzi said it’s also a benefit to play the game on the road to the get an experience that could help for a road playoff game.

“It was better for us to go on the road,” Spinuzzi said. “We didn’t volunteer, but we’re happy to be on the road.”